Brown Haired Mermaid
by Mel's Hands
Summary: AU. Hermione is a mermaid with a destiny. Will the existence of the human , Ron Weasley help her confront her destiny or will he just broke it ? Oh , wait a second! Is Ron really a human only ?
1. Prologue

Plain old Hermione Granger is such a pathetic girl. Even she thinks so. Her hair is like a frizz-ball , she boasts and bosses around. Even her sisters doesn't like her.

Granted , she is one of King Dumbledore's daughters. King Dumbledore who rules the entire seven seas. He is the wisest , most intelligent merman ever known. The citizens adore him and his royal family which consists of him and his 7 adopted daughters ; Padma & Parvati Patil , Lavender Brown , Cho Chang , Pansy Parkinson , Alicia Spinett , and Hermione Granger. Hermione , like many others loves him with all her heart but she sometimes feels as if she just humiliate him with her presence.

Her little green-stoned ring hanging on her pinky. She was told to keep it as a sign that someday she'll be the queen , continuing what King Dumbledore has done. That doesn't please her at all. It just adds up to the number of pressures she's been having. She's not pretty nor she has the charisma a queen should have. All the more reasons , she just doesn't belong there. Maybe she does , but she just doesn't want to be there.

"Hermione , have you ever seen a _comb _?" asked Pansy everyday.

She has. She uses it every single morning. It's not her fault that her hair is too uncontrolable.

"Hermione , books doesn't count as an accessories." said Lavender every time she sees her.

She just doesn't fit in that world. Everything that fascinates her is always not right for her. There are times that she really wants to be in a world where she won't be judged , a world where someone sincerely like her for who she is , a world that's not _using_ her.

* * *

Ron Weasley on the other hand , is the sixth prince of the Weaslandia. Ruled by the nice and kind King Arthur Weasley. He lives happily , has many siblings , and the best friend of the Potterian Prince , Harry Potter.

However , for Ron himself , his life is full of shadow. When he's smart , his brothers are smarter , when he's funny , his brothers are way funnier. When he tried to be nice , his one and only sister is nicer. And when he want to get noticed , Harry Potter is next to him.

Why would Harry Potter be loved more than him ?

Long time ago , another King called Voldemort tried to rule over the entire kingdoms. He built up an army of his own called the _Death Eaters._ He tortures the people who defies him , until one day , a seer told him that there will born a prince which will have the power to destroy him once and for all. Voldemort for some reason thought that the prince would be Harry. He tried to kill him. The next morning after Voldemort attacked the Potter palace , Queen Lilly and King James are found dead. Baby Harry Potter is left alone crying. But no one has ever seen Voldemort since.

Ron loves Harry as a brother of course. Harry lost his parents since he was young and has only live in a big palace with his dad's right hand and his godfather , Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. And Ron would help Harry anytime he needs help. But there are times when Ron would want someone to think of himself as Ron Weasley. Not Harry Potter's sidekick or one of the Weasley Princes.

Ron and Harry have a dream together though. To see the world , have an adventure. That's why on Saturday nights , Ron and Harry would sail on their little ship around the sea. They would play pirates together and then they'll roast marshmallows and laugh. Little did they know that the 'pretend adventure' of theirs will be the start of their real adventure.

* * *

"You know , it's called a ball. And you know what they do in a ball ? Having fun , admiring each other. Why don't you try make up ?" asked Cho annoyed when she saw Hermione only wearing her casual shells and her hair still as messy as ever. "There will be mermen there , Hermione! You're embarrassing me!"

Hermione however keep calm at the remark. She's pretty much used to it. She doesn't care about it anymore. It's not like she is going to go to the ball anyway. She'll just sneak up to the surface and read a book on a rock like usually does. Though King Dumbledore forbids the princesses to go to the surface , Hermione still finds reading there more relaxing.

The music keeps getting louder , meaning the ball has just begun. Hermione's sisters would swim faster out of their rooms to get to the ballroom. _Be fast or all the good ones will be taken _is what they say. Hermione just sigh while she swim to the ballroom. Hermione would smile at the guests. Some of them would try to talk to her and she would respond smartly. After a while , people would start grouping up to talk and no one will notice Hermione's presence. When everyone's finally distracted , Hermione would slowly swim out of the castle and to the surface.

She took out her book and put it on a big rock. Then she herself get on that rock , lean on it , and read the book peacefully. She would watch the moon as her time-tracker. Time passes real quick when she's reading her book.

Hours passed by and it's midnight. Hermione yawned. She finished her book but she doesn't want to get back yet since the party usually won't be over just by midnight. Instead , she watch with interest as a ship began to sail closer towards her.

She can see a red haired boy sitting up with cards on his hands while his black haired friend sleep in a sleeping bag. They look really cute , as if they're exhausted after doing something.

* * *

After an intense pirate fight with Ron , Harry collapsed in his sleeping bag , drooling. Ron would smile to himself and sit beside Harry's sleeping figure. Ron sorts out his chocolate-frog-cards with glee.

Is it just him or is someone watching him ? Ron stand up so suddenly that something threw itself into the water , making a big splash. Ron's heart began to beat faster. What if it's Voldemort who has been seeking his chance for revenge ? But it wasn't. Ron smiled to himself as he saw that it's just an animal hiding behind a big rock. And animal with curly brown hair- That won't be right ? Ron sail the ship closer to it , but the creature started to swim away.

"Wait ! Please don't swim away !" called Ron. He was surprised when the creature understands him and stopped. "You understood me ?" he asked.

"Of course I would." answer the creature softly. Curiosity got the best of Ron as he sail closer to the creature. He stopped and started walking to the end of the deck to touch the creature. He reached out his hand to the creature but it slapped it away. Then it shows its face to Ron.

"How dare you touch me ! Stay back !" said the creature.

"Why would you-"

"The name's Hermione and you should at least apologize !" yelled Hermione annoyed.

"Right , sorry." said Ron. He couldn't help but notice her big brown eyes , her little nose , and her curvy rosy lips. "Why would you swim at midnight ? In the middle of the ocean as well." he added.

"Why would-" Hermione stopped as she admire his legs. "A human." she said.

"Huh?" is the only word Ron can blurt out at the moment.

"You're not suppose to see me!" yelled Hermione again , trying to hide herself behind the rock once again.

"Why can't I see you ? It's not like you're a-" Ron stopped once again and admire Hermione's petite body with shells around her chest. "A MERMAID ! MERMAID EXISTS !" he yelled. Lucky Harry didn't wake up. Hermione look like she's in a verge of tear. "No no. Don't cry." said Ron taking her wet hand to his. Her hand is warm. Hermione snatched her hand away from his quickly.

"Don't touch me ! So this is what a human is like ! Just like what dad told me in stories ! You'll ask me many questions about my kind then you'll come back with more people to capture us !" said Hermione.

"Well , I'm a human and you're not suppose to see me , mermaid !" joked Ron. "The name's Ron."

"You're not going to tell anyone about me , Ron." said Hermione sternly.

"You going to rip my tongue out ?" joked Ron again.

"I mean it , Ron." she said. "Not even to him." said Hermione referring to Harry.

"If I promise you I won't tell anyone , not even Harry about you being a mermaid , will you talk to me in a nice voice that mermaids in stories use ?" he asked.

"Okay." said Hermione giving in. Ron smiled. His grin spread from his left ear to his right. His eyes as blue as the ocean. His red hair blown by the wind softly like a fire which won't go out. Hermione suddenly feels hot on her cheeks and butterflies in her belly.

"You're pretty." said Ron. Hermione feels her cheeks even hotter now.

"Thank you." said Hermione. "Not many has ever say that to me."

"Why ? You are." said Ron. Hermione interests him for a reason. It's like she wants to leave him so he won't see her but she's also curious of him so she stays.

"I see humans like frizz-ball headed mermaid." she said with a charming smile this time. Ron can feel his ears redden.

"No it's not. It's just pretty brown curls to me. Look at my hair. It's on fire !" he said excitedly that Hermione laughed.

"I'll put a fish on it later." grinned Hermione. Ron smirked at her.

The pair are soon immersed with each other , they just stay quiet while looking into each others eyes. Ron slowly slouch to look closer at Hermione , not noticing that the wind is blowing even faster and stronger , and the ocean's waves became stronger , slapping Ron and Harry's ship , making Ron fell out of the ship and his head knocked the rock. The darkness took over Ron while he's drowning.


	2. Not a Lie

Hermione fell more and more into those deep blue eyes of his. Those eyes are the prettiest Hermione have ever seen in her whole life. She can feel the wind getting stronger though , but nothing distracts her from those two blue eyes. _Nothing , _until suddenly he fell of his ship , his wonderful red head knocked the hard , rough rock and he fell into the ocean.

Hermione panics.

_No time for panicking , you bimbo ! Save him first ! _said her brain immediately.

Good thing she came back to her senses , she dive into the ocean too and her head moving frantically , started looking for the red-head. She look around and saw red drowning even deeper. _Can't he swim ?_ Then realization hit her that he must be unconscious at that moment. She swim as fast as she can towards him and started pulling his arm up. She can feel his muscles. Man , he is heavy for her.

She pull him up to the surface as quick as she can. She grab his arm once again and pull him to the beach. She cannot pull him further to the dry part of the beach since- Well , she can't go there without legs.

She feels her heart beating even faster when she saw that his eyes are closed. She slowly slouch and press her ears to his chest to know if he's breathing. And it's really good to know that he is. Hermione took some seaweed and press it on his bruised forehead. She wants to take care of him all night long and make sure he's not hurt anymore.

Hermione watch him sleeping soundly. His chest moving up and down slowly. Hermione smile to herself , finally convinced herself that he is getting better. She thinks a sleeping human is cute. His wet red hair plastered on his forehead and his mouth slightly open now. For a while now Hermione has been stroking his big hand , waiting for him to wake up.

_This is so much better than reading a book._

She watched the sun rise in front of her , telling her it's morning and she'll be grounded if her dad finds out she's been out of the castle last night.

"Wake up quickly so I can say goodbye." she whispered to Ron softly. She's determined to say bye to him first before she has to go back home , it's not polite to leave without excusing herself first , right ? Mermaids have manners too. She stay by his side until she heard a voice.

Another human's voice.

"RON ! WHERE ARE YOUUU ?!" the human shouted. Hermione recognized him as the one who was drooling on the ship earlier , Harry ?

Hermione immediately jump into the sea , hiding from Harry. He can't see her !

"RON ! RO- .. RON !" yelled Harry as he saw Ron's figure on the sand. "Thought I lost you , mate !" he said slapping Ron's arm. "WAKE UP !" he shouted at Ron's ears. Even Hermione got startled by that , but what surprised her is that Ron started to moan , stir a bit , and started to cough up water. "Easy , mate." said Harry grinning.

"Hermione ?" he asked his eyes still closed. Hermione couldn't help but blush at the way he calls her name.

"It's Harry. H-A-R-R-Y." said Harry. "Who is Hermione ?"

"DAMN IT HARRY ! MY EAR HURT !" yelled Ron back. Hermione giggled as his ears got red.

"Sorry , mate." said Harry, grinning again.

"Piggyback me home." grinned Ron back.

"WHAT ? You're a head taller than I am , with bigger body , and a bottomless stomach. Do you want to kill me ?" asked Harry , apparently in disbelief.

"My head hurts and I don't think I can walk back. At least help me walk then." said Ron , touching his bruised forehead before he winced in pain.

"Okay." said Harry , putting one of Ron's arm to help him stand up and walk. Hermione watched with a sad heart as Ron and Harry slowly walking further and further away from the beach. Once she can't see them anymore , she started to swim home.

The swim back home is surprisingly easy for Hermione. The palace's maids and butlers are still busy tidying up to notice her arrival. King Dumbledore is nowhere to be seen and her sisters are busy talking to each other about last night's mer-princes. Hermione sigh in relieve. It's good to be ignored sometimes.

She swim to her room , which she shares with 2 of her sisters and sit down on her bed. She took out a comb from her bedside table and begin to comb her hair like she usually does before she sleep. Then she lay own , close her eyes and starting smiling to herself as she fell asleep , thinking of a red-haired human.

* * *

"Which one hasn't come ?" asked a cold voice.

"2 of them , my Lord." answered another voice , it seems to be a woman's.

"Two ? Just take them here by force and free me." said the cold voice , impatiently.

"Tried it my Lord. Dumbledore protects them well. I can't get through even the castle's gate." answered the woman.

"Then think of something else. I'm tired of being locked like this. I'll rule the world once more and no one will ever be able to stop me. Just get the stone and broke it I said !" the cold voice said once again sternly.

"I'll try , my Lord. Please excuse me."

* * *

"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY !" yelled Queen Molly as she saw her son's bruised forehead and wet clothes. "What happened ?"

Ron himself doesn't know what happened. _Here it goes , mum ; I was playing with my chocolate-frog-cards last night on my ship then I met a really beautiful brown haired mermaid with this starry brown eyes I want to swim in , we talked , and then I lost balance since the ship was shaking so much and fell into the sea , hit a rock in the process then drown. Then I woke up to my best friend's yell , ask him to help me back to the castle and have the people asking me why is the prince like this all the way back home to the castle. Make sense ?_

"He fell of the ship , Mrs. Weasley." explained Harry shortly. Queen Molly feel concerned.

"Go to the hospital wing." she ordered Ron. He and his siblings were hurt a lot everytime they play together that the Queen & King decided to build a room for their injured children.

Ron and Harry immediately leave upstairs to the hospital wing before Queen Molly changes her mind once more. Harry helped Ron once again and sit him on the hospital wing's bed.

"So .. how?" asked Harry.

"Dunno , not sure. I was just-" _I promise Hermione not to tell Harry .. _"Admiring this large rock when a huge wave hit our ship and then I fell of the ship. Guess I drifted to the beach. Lucky me." lied Ron.

Harry caught Ron's poker face and smirk to himself. "So what does Hermione has to do with it ?"

"Hermione ? Hermione who ?" asked Ron back trying not to be caught.

"The girl whose name you call as soon as you woke up this morning ?" asked Harry again.

"I don't know what you're talking about." lied Ron again. But Harry quickly gave him the i-know-you're-lying-to-me look. Ron sighed.

"Alright. But you have to promise me you won't ever ever ever tell anyone about this big giant enormous secret I'm going to tell you." said Ron sternly.

"So you have this big giant enormous secret that you're going to tell me but I can't ever ever ever tell anyone else ? Do tell." said Harry playfully. But he turned serious when he saw Ron's serious face.

"I'm serious Harry ! You have to promise me ! If you ever tell anyone this could cost Hermione her family , friends , and LIFE !" said Ron. Harry rolled his eyes at that , he's used to Ron's exaggerations.

"Okay. Now tell me." said Harry.

"I know I lie and trick you a lot but-"

"No kidding ! You convinced me that you're a werewolf and I still believe it last year ! And I'm 16 !" complained Harry. Ron chuckled at that.

"Yeah yeah , sorry. But seriously I'm not lying this time. You have to believe me." said Ron seriously. Harry gulped and stare at his best friend's face.

"So what is it ?" Harry asked.

"Hermione. That girl whose name I called this morning , is not a girl." stated Ron. Harry's eyes widened as Ron's mouth started to open again. "She's a mermaid."

Harry couldn't believe it. "Last year was werewolf and now ? Mermaid ? Do you think I'm that stupid , Ron ?!"

Ron quickly stand up and cover Harry's mouth with his hand. "Shut up , Harry ! I'm serious ! You are stupid to the point that I'm tired of tricking you cause it's too easy but this time is not a lie ! I swear ! Ask Merlin !"

Harry rub the back of his head which is itching. Ron's face looks so convincing. "So let's say Hermione is a mermaid. So you're in love with a mermaid ?"

Ron's face turned red instantly. "What ? You mad ? All I'm telling you is that I met a mermaid last night and that means that those creatures exist !"

"So now you want me to spread to the world that Prince Ronald of Weaslandia discovered a mythical creature and people should give him a noble prize for that ?" asked Harry confused.

"WHAT? NO! I told you to never ever ever tell to anyone else about it ! It could meant danger for Hermione and her other .. _same genes_ ?" said Ron with emphasizes.

"So why are we talking about this ?" asked Harry.

"Of course it's for .. I'm not sure why I told you."

Harry and Ron stare at each other's face for a few seconds then began scratching their heads. "Why are we so stupid , Harry ?"

* * *

"Mermaid ?"

"What are they talking about ?"

"We'll be mad if we continue eavesdropping them. Let's go Georgie."

"Behind you , Freddie."

* * *

"Arthur ! Don't you think we have to tell them about their true identity ?" asked Queen Molly concerned.

"Molly. You know that even if we tell them we can't do anything for them." said Sirius seriously. "Let's just hope that the prophecy isn't true and the stone is safely guarded right now."

"Still , Sirius. What if the stone suddenly went to the wrong hands and- _broke _?"

Remus stood up from his seat. "Then we'll have to find a way. But first , we'll have to make sure Harry's save in Hogwarts when the time comes. Harry .. And the stone keeper , they .. Can never meet each other."


End file.
